AMD Ryzen 5 7400 vs Intel Core 9 273PE Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 and Intel Core 9 273PE occupy different corners of the desktop processor market, and the recorded benchmark data shows a clear performance hierarchy. The Intel part, a 12-core, 24-thread design from the Bartlett Lake generation, dominates the AMD 6-core, 12-thread Zen 4 Raphael chip in every single recorded head-to-head test. The database shows the Intel part winning 11 out of 11 shared benchmarks, with its average benchmark score of 49845 placing it at the 90th percentile of all CPUs, compared to the AMD processor's average of 42055 and 88th percentile. This is not a close contest by the numbers, but the specifications reveal two different design philosophies that matter for specific workloads and platform choices.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 9 273PE wins every shared benchmark in the database, but the margin varies dramatically by workload type. In pure compute-heavy tasks, the Intel processor is in a different class. The floating point math test shows a score of 107884 against the AMD's 40784, a 62.2% deficit for the AMD part. The physics test shows a 3120 score versus 1150, a 63.1% gap. Integer math follows the same pattern at 139410 versus 64733, a 53.6% difference. These results indicate the Intel part is the clear choice for rendering, scientific computing, and any workload that relies on sustained multi-threaded arithmetic throughput.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 does not win a single recorded benchmark, but its closest performance comes in single-threaded work. The passmark single thread score shows 3248 against the Intel's 3650, an 11% deficit. That is the smallest gap in the entire data set. The data compression test shows a 35.5% gap, and extended instructions show a 19.1% gap. The AMD part's strongest relative showing is in tasks that scale with a few fast cores rather than many slower ones, which aligns with its lower core count and higher base clock relative to the Intel part's massive thread pool. For a user running lightly threaded applications, the AMD processor is less far behind, but it still trails in every measured category.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design lineages. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 uses the Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, with the Raphael codename. It packs 6,570 million transistors into a 71 mm² die. The Intel Core 9 273PE uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm Intel process, with no transistor count or die size recorded in the database. The process node difference is significant: 5 nm versus 10 nm typically indicates a density advantage for the AMD chip, but the Intel part compensates with a much larger core count.

Cache hierarchies differ sharply. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The Intel L3 cache is more than double the AMD allocation, which helps explain its advantage in data compression and random string sorting, workloads that benefit from large on-chip data residency. The AMD part supports only DDR5 memory, while the Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5, giving the Intel platform more flexibility in memory choice. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the Intel part has a higher recorded memory bandwidth at 89.6 GB/s versus 83.2 GB/s.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD part ships with Radeon Graphics, while the Intel part uses UHD Graphics 730. Both are desktop parts with active production status, and both support ECC memory. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel part does not. The AMD part uses PCIe Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, while the Intel part uses PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. The AMD part's socket is AM5, the Intel part uses Socket 1700.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single gap in the data is the floating point math test. The Intel Core 9 273PE scores 107884, the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 scores 40784, a 62.2% deficit for the AMD part. Physics shows a similar story at 63.1%, with scores of 3120 and 1150. Prime number finding shows a 61.1% gap, with the Intel part at 203 versus 79. These three tests indicate that the Intel processor's extra cores and threads translate directly into heavy parallel compute wins.

Integer math shows a 53.6% gap, with the Intel part at 139410 versus 64733. Multithread performance shows a 41% gap, with 36810 versus 21712. Data compression shows a 35.5% gap, with 405885 versus 261749. Data encryption shows a 34.6% gap, with 22719 versus 14865. Random string sorting shows a 31% gap, with 45098 versus 31110. The smallest gaps are in extended instructions at 19.1% (24630 versus 19924) and single thread at 11% (3650 versus 3248).

The single thread result is worth examining closely. An 11% gap is meaningful but not overwhelming, and it suggests that the AMD Zen 4 core is competitive on a per-thread basis. The Intel part's boost clock of 5.70 GHz versus the AMD's 4.30 GHz explains much of that gap. However, the Intel part's base clock is 2.30 GHz versus the AMD's 3.30 GHz, indicating that the Intel design relies on aggressive boosting to reach its performance, while the AMD part maintains a higher sustained base frequency.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious difference. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads, exactly double. The base clocks are 3.30 GHz for the AMD and 2.30 GHz for the Intel, a 1.00 GHz difference in the AMD's favor. The boost clocks are 4.30 GHz for the AMD and 5.70 GHz for the Intel, a 1.40 GHz difference in the Intel's favor. Both have a 65 W TDP.

The process nodes differ: 5 nm for the AMD, 10 nm for the Intel. The cache configuration differs as detailed above: the AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB L3 shared; the Intel has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB L3 shared. Memory support differs: the AMD supports only DDR5, the Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is 83.2 GB/s for the AMD and 89.6 GB/s for the Intel. PCIe lane counts differ: 24 lanes for the AMD, 16 for the Intel. The AMD has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel does not. The integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics for the AMD and UHD Graphics 730 for the Intel. The release dates differ: the AMD was released on 2025-09-15, the Intel on 2026-03-08.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-threaded performance?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE scores 3650 in the passmark single thread test, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 scores 3248. The Intel part leads by 11%.

Q: How large is the multi-threaded performance gap?

A: The passmark multithread test shows the Intel Core 9 273PE at 36810 and the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 at 21712. The Intel part leads by 41%.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 and the Intel Core 9 273PE have ECC memory support recorded in the database.

Q: Which processor supports a wider range of memory types?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 supports only DDR5.

Q: What is the difference in L3 cache capacity?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE has 36 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 has 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has more than double the L3.

Q: Is the AMD processor's multiplier unlocked?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core 9 273PE does not.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel part?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE has a launch MSRP of $549. No launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD Ryzen 5 7400.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a one-sided picture. The Intel Core 9 273PE wins all 11 recorded head-to-head tests, with margins ranging from 11% in single-threaded work to over 63% in physics and floating point math. Its average benchmark score of 49845 places it at the 90th percentile, and its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 at nearly the same score and the Intel Core i9-13980HX just 1.1% ahead. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400, with an average score of 42055, sits at the 88th percentile, with its nearest rivals including the Intel Core i9-12900K at a 0.7% higher score.

For users prioritizing raw multi-threaded compute, the Intel part is the clear selection based on the data. Its double core count, larger cache, and higher boost clock deliver decisive wins in every parallel workload measured. The physics test, floating point math, and integer math results show gaps of 53% to 63%, which translates to substantially shorter render times or faster simulation runs.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 remains relevant for users who value the unlocked multiplier for overclocking, the smaller 71 mm² die on a 5 nm process, and the higher base clock of 3.30 GHz. Its 11% single-thread deficit is the closest it comes to the Intel part, and its 24 PCIe Gen 5 lanes exceed the Intel part's 16 lanes. The AMD part also supports only DDR5, which may align with a newer platform choice. However, the recorded data shows no workload where the AMD processor wins. The Intel Core 9 273PE is the higher-performing processor across the board, and the database reflects that in its 90th percentile ranking versus the AMD's 88th. Users who need maximum throughput should follow the benchmark results; users who need platform flexibility, ECC support, or an unlocked multiplier may still consider the AMD part, but they will accept a measurable performance penalty in every tested category.